Kite flying under cross
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Ouro Preto, Brazil
From Rio I took a night bus the picturesque city of Ouro Preto. I arrived early in the morning, stored my bag, and walked around the city the whole day. Later that evening I made it to Bello Horizonte for the night. Ouro Preto was a beautiful place with great old buildings and cobble stone streets. It had a different feel from the other places I had been in Brazil, more rural and colonial. It was beautiful place to see.
Kite flying under cross
Kite flying under cross
Monday, June 15, 2009
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
It's hard to imagine a more beautiful place for a city. On the ocean with a protected bay on one side and great beaches on the other, surrounded by steep mountains and lush green forests, and with a warm to temperate climate year round. Add in the friendliest people I have ever met in a big city, world class cultural events, and fairly good public transportation and Rio is my new favorite city in the whole world. There are down sides to Rio such as the crime and slums or “favelas” that are mixed through the city, but it is worth putting up with those realities to be in Rio.
In Rio I stayed with another great person from “couch surfing”, Angel. Angel was so cool. It was great to stay with her and hang out with her and her boyfriend James. Together with Carolina, a great woman that I met in Paraty, we had a fun time hanging out, going to a street party in Lapa and hiking in the Tijuca forest around Rio.
One day Carolina and I went with Angela and her boyfriend James to the Tijuca Forest in the mountains overlooking Rio. It was a beautiful jungle actually surrounded by the city. Rio is a lush place in general and the forest was incredibly green. In the park we saw a waterfall, went on a hiking adventure to make it to a cool cave, had excellent views of the city below, and even saw a monkey.
Back in the city I walked around with Carol to see more of Rio. It is such a cool city. There is just something special about the place. It's hard to describe it and I didn't take too many photos but here are some to give a feel for the city.
Rio is a city at the mouth of a bay. Across the bay is the city of Nieteroi where I stayed several days with Carolina and her family. Niteroi had a different feel from Rio, a little quieter but still a great place with beaches and several attractions. The most well know sight is the contemporary art Museum designed by Oscar Niermeyer. The artwork inside wasn't that exciting but the building itself was very cool. I went back and forth to Rio from Niteroi, mostly across the bridge but also by a ferry that crosses the bay.
Back in Rio there was plenty more to see and I also had my South African friends to visit as well. I actually stayed with Garath and Sandy a few day in Rio. We had met in Parity a week earlier and they eventually made it to Rio and rented an apartment in Copacabana. We went to the beach one day and walked around the lush botanical gardens another day.
Our final adventure adventure in Rio was going back to Lapa on Friday. I was raining on and off the whole day but it was a great party anyway. Lapa is a district in Rio with bars samba clubs and music in the streets. Friday is the craziest day but every night has sort of a carnival feel with people dancing and drinking i the streets. Lots of fun!
Reflection of modern architecture
In Rio I stayed with another great person from “couch surfing”, Angel. Angel was so cool. It was great to stay with her and hang out with her and her boyfriend James. Together with Carolina, a great woman that I met in Paraty, we had a fun time hanging out, going to a street party in Lapa and hiking in the Tijuca forest around Rio.
One day Carolina and I went with Angela and her boyfriend James to the Tijuca Forest in the mountains overlooking Rio. It was a beautiful jungle actually surrounded by the city. Rio is a lush place in general and the forest was incredibly green. In the park we saw a waterfall, went on a hiking adventure to make it to a cool cave, had excellent views of the city below, and even saw a monkey.
Back in the city I walked around with Carol to see more of Rio. It is such a cool city. There is just something special about the place. It's hard to describe it and I didn't take too many photos but here are some to give a feel for the city.
Rio is a city at the mouth of a bay. Across the bay is the city of Nieteroi where I stayed several days with Carolina and her family. Niteroi had a different feel from Rio, a little quieter but still a great place with beaches and several attractions. The most well know sight is the contemporary art Museum designed by Oscar Niermeyer. The artwork inside wasn't that exciting but the building itself was very cool. I went back and forth to Rio from Niteroi, mostly across the bridge but also by a ferry that crosses the bay.
Back in Rio there was plenty more to see and I also had my South African friends to visit as well. I actually stayed with Garath and Sandy a few day in Rio. We had met in Parity a week earlier and they eventually made it to Rio and rented an apartment in Copacabana. We went to the beach one day and walked around the lush botanical gardens another day.
Our final adventure adventure in Rio was going back to Lapa on Friday. I was raining on and off the whole day but it was a great party anyway. Lapa is a district in Rio with bars samba clubs and music in the streets. Friday is the craziest day but every night has sort of a carnival feel with people dancing and drinking i the streets. Lots of fun!
Reflection of modern architecture
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